St. Valentine of Rome

Feast Day:
Roman Rite Calendar - 02/14

Patron Of:
Love

14 February
Profile
Priest in Rome, possibly a bishop. Physician. Imprisoned for giving aid to martyrs in prison, and while there converted the jailer by restoring sight to the jailer's daughter. While Valentine of Terni and Valentine of Rome sometimes have separate entries in martyrologies and biographies, most scholars believe they are the same person.

There are several theories about the origin of Valentine's Day celebrations. Some believe the Romans had a mid-February custom where boys drew girls' names in honor of the sex and fertility goddess, Februata Juno; pastors "baptised" this holiday, like some others, by substituting the names of saints such as Valentine to suppress the practice. Others maintain that the custom of sending Valentines on 14 February stems from the belief that birds begin to pair on that date. By 1477 the English associated lovers with the feast of Valentine because on that day "every bird chooses him a mate." The custom started of men and women writing love letters to their Valentine on this day. Other "romance" traditions have become attached to this feast, including pinning bay leaves to your pillow on Valentine's Eve so that you will see your future mate that night in your dreams.
Died
beaten and beheaded c.269 at Rome
buried on the Flaminian Way
relics later translated to the Church of Saint Praxedes
Patronage
affianced couples
against epilepsy
against fainting
against plague
bee keepers
betrothed couples
Bussolengo, Italy
engaged couples
greeting card manufacturers
greetings
happy marriages
love
lovers
travellers
young people